The Holy Right-believing Tsarevich Demetrios of Uglich and Moscow

The Holy Right-believing Tsarevitch Demetrios (Tsarévitch Dēmḗtrios) of Uglich (Moscow) was born on October 19, 1582. He was the son of Tsar Ivan the Terrible. During the reign of Theodore, the de facto ruler of the Russian state was his brother-in-law, the power-hungry boyar Boris Godunov. After Ivan's death on March 18, 1584, Boris began to eliminate all the nobles who were opposed to him. Then the Tsarevitch Demetrios and his mother, Tsaritsa Maria, were exiled to Uglich. Desiring to become the lawful heir to the Russian throne, Boris Godunov began to act against the Tsarevitch as against a personal enemy. At first he tried to slander the new heir to the throne, spreading false rumors about his alleged illegitimate birth. Then he spread the fallacy that Demetrios had inherited the harshness of his father, the sovereign.

Since these actions did not bring the desired result, the insidious Boris decided to destroy the Tsarevitch by putting poison in his food and drink. Demetrios was not harmed by the poison, however. Then the villain decided on a more direct course of action. He sent Daniel Volokhov, Michael Bityagovsky, and Niketas (Nikḗtas) Katchalov to Uglich to murder the Tsarevitch.

Suspectiing their evil intentions, the widowed Tsaritsa Maria kept a close watch over her son. She would not let him out of the palace, or away from her side. Therefore, the conspirators enlisted the help of the child's nursemaid, Maria Volokhova (Daniel's mother) to accomplish their purpose.

On Saturday, May 15, 1591, the nursemaid brought the boy out to the lower porch. Daniel Volokhov took the child by the hand and asked if he was wearing a new necklace. "No," he replied, "this is an old one."

Suddenly, Daniel slit the Tsarevitch's throat, and the nursemaid began to scream. Daniel, Michael, and Nikḗtas beat her until she was almost dead. Tsaritsa Maria heard the screams and ran outside. She fell upon the lifeless body of her child and began to sob and wail. The sexton rang the alarm bell, and the residents of Uglich hastened to the palace. The angry crowd stoned the murderers and cast their bodies into a pit to be devoured by dogs.

The Tsarevitch's body was placed in a coffin and was brought to Uglich's Cathedral of the Transfiguration. He was not quite nine years old when he was murdered.

Many miracles and healings began to occur at his tomb, most frequently, for people with sore eyes. On June 3, 1606, the holy relics of the martyred Tsarevitch Demetrios were discovered to be incorrupt.

The holy Relics of the Right-believing Tsarevitch Demetrios were transferred from Uglich to Moscow in 1606, and were placed in the Cathedral of the Archangel (Michael) in the Moscow Kremlin, in the chapel of Saint John the Forerunner.

After many miracles from the Saint's relics in 1606, it was decided that the Tsarevitch Demetrios was to be commemorated three times a year - on the day of his birth (October 19), the day of his death (May 15), and the day of the transfer of his relics (June 3).